Foodservice equipment leaders set for Milan showdown

Leaders from the world’s top national catering equipment organisations will meet in Milan ahead of this year’s HOST exhibition to address “critical problems” facing the global industry.

Sustainability, training, energy labelling and customer care have all been earmarked as topics that will lead the agenda after trade bodies from countries such as the UK, Italy, USA and Japan agreed to work more closely together.

Around 15 national trade associations have been sent invites to what is being called the ‘Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Global Leadership Summit’. It will take place on Thursday, October 22, the day before the five-day HOST exhibition opens.

The summit is the brainchild of the three pan-regional associations that cover Europe (EFCEM), North America (NAFEM) and Australasia (NAFES).

The meeting will be facilitated by Doug Fryett CFSP, a leading foodservice industry consultant and CFSP program trainer.

The Global Summit will also cover areas such as water and installation standards, Building Information Modelling, supply chain relationships and customer service.

UK catering equipment association CESA confirmed that it will be attending. “The knowledge database we will be able to generate will be valuable and relevant to the industry at large and our members locally,” said current chair Simon Frost. “It is expected that there will be some hard edged outcomes that will benefit our industry internationally and at local level, this is an exciting new development for all concerned.”